Every year, July 19 is observed by Kashmiris as Accession to Pakistan Day, commemorating the historic resolution adopted by the All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference in Srinagar on July 19, 1947. Through this resolution, the party expressed its support for the accession of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan, nearly a month before Pakistan formally emerged as an independent state on August 14, 1947. The resolution was moved by prominent Kashmiri leaders Khawaja Ghulam-ud-Din Wani and Abdul Rahim Wani during an emergency session of the Muslim Conference. It reflected the political aspirations of a significant section of the Muslim population, which viewed Pakistan as the natural destination of the state owing to religious affinity, geographical proximity, economic interdependence and longstanding historical ties. For centuries, Jammu & Kashmir maintained close commercial, cultural and social relations with the regions that now constitute Pakistan. Shared religious traditions, linguistic and ethnic affinities, migration, intermarriages and economic exchanges strengthened these bonds. Geographically, virtually all major road, trade and communication routes connecting Jammu & Kashmir to the outside world passed through areas that became part of Pakistan after Partition.
Supporters of Pakistan’s position argue that the June 3, 1947 Partition Plan and the principle of geographical contiguity favoured Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan, particularly because the state had an overwhelming Muslim majority of nearly 77 percent. They further contend that the award of Gurdaspur District to India under the Radcliffe Award created the only land corridor through which India later established military access to Jammu & Kashmir, a decision that has remained controversial in historical and political debates. Following Partition, the political future of Jammu and Kashmir became increasingly uncer-tain. Maharaja Hari Singh initially sought to keep the princely state independent and entered into a Standstill Agreement with Pakistan while delaying a final decision on accession. However, the rapidly deteriorating security situation culminated in armed conflict in October 1947. On October 27, 1947, Indian troops entered Jammu and Kashmir without a legal basis. During this period, local resistance groups gained control of parts of western Jammu and Kashmir and established what became known as the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which has since functioned as a separate entity under Pakistan’s administration. The Kashmir dispute was subsequently brought before the United Nations, where the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) adopted resolutions calling for a ceasefire and the holding of a plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu & Kashmir to determine their future. While both India and Pakistan have advanced differing interpretations regarding the implementation of these resolutions, the question of self-determination remains central to the dispute.
Over the decades, Kashmir has witnessed repeated cycles of political unrest, insurgency, cross-border tensions and military confrontation. Since the insurgency that erupted in 1989–90, thousands of innocent Kashmiris have lost their lives. Human rights organizations, in-cluding Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and successive reports by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), have documented allegations of human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). Indian military have been using extensive use of force, killings, fake encounters, arbitrary detentions, restrictions on civil liberties and limitations on freedom of expression. The constitutional changes introduced by India on August 5, 2019, through the revocation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir under Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitu-tion, added a new dimension to the dispute. Pakistan rejected these measures as unilateral and contrary to the disputed status of the territory, while India described them as an internal constitutional matter intended to promote integration and development. Despite decades of conflict, the Kashmir issue remains unresolved and continues to cast a shadow over peace and stability in South Asia. The dispute has evolved beyond a territorial disagreement into a complex political, legal, security and humanitarian challenge with re-gional and international implications.
As Kashmiris observe the 79th anniversary of the July 19, 1947 accession resolution, many continue to regard the day as a reaffirmation of their political aspirations. From Pakistan’s perspective, the resolution represents historical evidence of the will of the people before the creation of Pakistan itself. Consequently, Pakistan continues to advocate a peaceful settle-ment of the dispute in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions and the prin-ciple of self-determination. Given that India and Pakistan are both nuclear-armed neighbours, a durable and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute remains indispensable for regional security, economic cooperation and long-term stability in South Asia. Constructive dialogue, respect for international law, confidence-building measures and meaningful engagement with the people of Jammu & Kashmir offer the most credible pathway towards a lasting settlement.
A peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute would not only reduce tensions between India and Pakistan but also unlock enormous opportunities for regional connectivity, trade and economic development. In an increasingly interconnected world, lasting peace in South Asia would contribute significantly to broader international peace and stability.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad. ([email protected])
